After months of planning, community support, and anticipation, Fly. Ride. Remember. has officially wrapped — and what an extraordinary few days it turned out to be.
Reflecting on 30 October: A Day of Determination
Fly. Ride. Remember. began bright and early at Canberra Airport at 6:30am, where low cloud cover put a hold on the original VFR flight plan to Goulburn. After a visit to the Air Traffic Control Tower and some patient waiting, it was clear by 9am that the cloud wasn’t going to lift so, Plan B was set into motion to make sure our cheer squad at Mother Teresa School wouldn’t miss their moment!
Thanks to the amazing team at Learn 2 Fly, Ben was flown IFR to Goulburn in VH-UPT, touching down just before 10am. Waiting to greet him were supporters from RAAus, Soldier On, Goulburn Rotary, and the Goulburn Aero Club. After a quick hello (and an even quicker change!), Ben set off on a 100km cycle to Mitchell, ACT.
Four tiresome hours later, he was met by the incredible students of Mother Teresa School in Harrison, who lined the school gates with homemade banners and cheers that could be heard for miles! Swapping the bike for runners, Ben was joined by Jared Smith, Head of Airworthiness and Maintenance at RAAus, for a 10km run to the Australian War Memorial.
At 4pm, the pair ran beneath a tunnel of colleagues and supporters, finishing their triathlon at the Stone of Remembrance, where Paul Singer, CEO of Soldier On Australia, congratulated Ben with an embrace and a shared moment of reflection.
The entire RAAus team couldn’t be prouder of Ben’s incredible effort!
31 October: A Well-Deserved Celebration
The following evening, 31 October, marked the perfect close to the effort — an after-party hosted with the generous support of Capital Brewing Co. The night brought together sponsors, supporters, and friends for food, laughter (thanks to MC Michael Bower), and a final boost of donations. It was a heartfelt celebration of everyone who played a part in bringing Fly. Ride. Remember. to life.
Prizes, Community Spirit, and a Very Special Bike
And just like that, the Cervélo Caledonia 5 Road Bike generously donated by Pushys Fyshwick for Fly. Ride. Remember. has now gone to its very lucky new owner!
The very bike that carried Ben 100 km from Goulburn to Canberra during the ride leg of the triathlon — and one he grew particularly fond of — is now in the hands of its new owner, who just so happens to be a parent from Mother Teresa School! We honestly couldn’t have hoped for a more deserving winner, especially after witnessing the incredible enthusiasm and support from the school’s students on the day.
All Fly. Ride. Remember. prizes have now been dispatched and/or received by our lucky winners.
A Final Thank You
With over $14,000 raised for Soldier On Australia, this year’s Fly. Ride. Remember. has exceeded every expectation. These funds will support veterans and their families in accessing crucial services — a result made possible only through the generosity of our sponsors, donors, volunteers and community.
A special thank you to our event sponsors, whose generosity and support made every moment of Fly. Ride. Remember. possible:
Pushys Fyshwick, Garmin, FLYTE, OzRunways, One Sport, Light Studios, Capital Brewing Co, BentSpoke Brewing Co, Channel 7, Learn 2 Fly, and Halliday Wine Companion.
From everyone at RAAus: thank you. Your belief in this cause has made a meaningful difference, and we look forward to sharing more moments, reflections, photos, and stories from the event soon.
